The Wedding Banquet is proof that Korean celebrities continue to make an impact on the American film industry. With a diverse cast and a meaningful storyline, the film depicts the struggle of LGBTQ+ relationships within Asian communities. Starring well-known Korean stars such as Youn Yuh Jung and Han Gi Chan, director Andrew Ahn gathered talented actors to tell another riveting story for LGBT cinema.
The Wedding Banquet released in America back in April of this year and will play in theaters in Korea starting in October. Based on the 1993 comedy of the same name, this modern tale explores a deeper and emotional side of the storyline with aspects of Korean culture sprinkled throughout. During the Busan International Film Festival, the cast greeted fans and the press to discuss the deeper sides of modern LGBTQ society clashing with traditional Korean ones.
Han Gi Chan looked elegant on the stage and Youn Yuh Jung maintained a strong aura of grace despite constantly reminding the audience of how old she is. It was charming to witness the cast behaving as a family on and off camera. ZAPZEE interviewed the stars and asked various questions regarding their experiences playing LGBTQ+ characters and their thoughts on shifting mindsets in today’s world.
When asked about the original film and his own work, Director Andrew Ahn stated, “I still remember watching the original film in 1993. It was the first gay film I ever saw. I think it set me on the path to being the filmmaker I am today. I realized so much has changed since 1993 and I wanted to put these feelings into a movie and talk about queer people’s unique challenges.”
Diving deeper into the story, Ahn shared his thoughts stating, “The main message I wanted to express was the complicated emotions I’ve felt as a queer person who wants a family. We often take family for granted and we have to work to love someone the way they want and the way they need to be loved. I also wanted to show Korean culture and rituals compared to the original film. My brother got married recently and I saw him have a traditional ceremony and how it brought him closer to his Korean identity. In a way, the film was my attempt of throwing my own Korean wedding.”
Fortunately, ZAPZEE had the chance to ask the stars directly what efforts were needed to portray the message Director Ahn had in mind.
Q. Han Gi Chan played various gay characters in the past. What is something you’ve prepared to perfect your roles as a gay character? How do you prepare for your roles?
Han Gi Chan: The first film isn’t a normal or usual genre in Korea. When preparing for these roles, I just prepared to love that person’s soul. I didn’t think of male or female as a problem. What you love is their soul, the person inside the person. I just prepared with that mindset.
Q. What have you learned about the LGBT through this experience? Were there any challenges you had to overcome for these specific roles?
Han Gi Chan: Vancouver was the first time I ever went to a foreign English-speaking country. I learned from the LGBT community that we are just humans and I keep learning about these people and their community during the film and while working abroad. The challenge was my English abilities. I just think of my roles as a person loving a person, just a man, not queer or other labels. I was getting interviews after filming and said every time we should find the person we love.
When asked about the original movie and his role in the new one, Han Gi Chan stated, “I think it talks about a new type of family, and the director does it in a witty way. The film is such a warm embrace. When I got the script, I found out later there was an original film, and I thought I should watch the film, but I was worried I would mimic the original character and decided to stay true to the original script and myself. I compared my performance after I came back to Korea.”
As expected, the performance was quite memorable. Well done, Han Gi Chan. He continues to become more of an icon in Hollywood and the LGBTQ scene. Speaking of icons, Youn Yuh Jung played the role of a caring grandmother who merely wants the best for their grandchildren. Similar to her real-life situation, there are hurdles to overcome as a Korean with a gay child that are hard to endure due to traditions and conservative viewpoints. ZAPZEE asked the star how she feels about Korea’s current perspective.
Q. The movie discusses the idea of accepting LGBTQ culture and emphasizes human rights over culture. Do you think Korea can overcome these hurdles and become more open-minded?
Youn Yuh Jung: I hope you can understand my English, as I want to express it (my thoughts) in English. I think Korea is not ready and not moving forward enough. I hope we can move forward whether we are straight or gay- that is my philosophy about people. I hope to move forward, but it is not. Korea is very conservative. I hope it does change. We can open our hearts to everybody. We are different and don’t need to categorize everything, black, white, yellow, gay, straight, I don’t like it. After all, we are all human.
While discussing her career as veteran actress, Youn revealed that, “I am now 60 years old and do as I please. When I got the offer, I was a mother to Han Gi Chan’s character. I suggested being the grandmother because our age difference didn’t work within the script. I read the script repeatedly and thought about what I would do in order to understand her.” She also revealed, “I act in Indie films because I can be closer to the director and help make important decisions. For bigger productions you can’t cross the line. But I do different projects when I feel connected to them, if I like the role and story, when I need money, or when I want to give back to the communities I worked with.”
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In the end, the stars felt that the movie’s significance couldn’t go unnoticed. The Wedding Banquet serves as a big step in showcasing how modern society can still coexist alongside traditions without breaking families apart. If you haven’t already seen the film, you can watch Han Gi Chan and Youn Yuh Jung shine in The Wedding Banquet on Netflix and Amazon Prime.
